Upon its return UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon responded: “We will keep a close eye on the Admiral Kuznetsov as it skulks back to Russia; a ship of shame whose mission has only extended the suffering of the Syrian people."

He rubbed salt into the wounds following the launch of the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabath aircraft carrier last month.

Sir Michael told the BBC: “When you saw that old, dilapidated Kuznetsov sailing through the Channel a few months ago, I think the Russians will look at this ship with a little bit of envy.”

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